I have recently discovered the joy that is quinoa. I was against it for a very long time. I hated the texture, the taste was boring, and I was uninspired. This Zesty Quinoa changed my mind, and I was hooked. I wanted more.

I’m not a vegetarian. Or a vegan. Or anything really. We have a backyard coop and I love my hens and their super delicious eggs. I eat two to three scrambled eggs daily and I’m happy. Oh so happy. With the cooling temps, I’ve been feeling like I wanted something warm and toasty for breakfast. While I enjoy oatmeal, it doesn’t keep me full as long as I’d like. I wanted something that will stick with me. Something… chocolatey.

What I ended up with just so happens to be gluten-free, dairy-free, and free of refined sugars. And it kept both Troy and me full until well past lunch. I filled up a normal-sized bowl and ended up not finishing half of it. Plus it tastes like a bowl full of hot Nutella. So there’s that.

You can make this recipe on the stove top if you want. Or you can win at life and make it in the Instant Pot. I’ve now had an Instant Pot since June, and I talk about it incessantly. “Blah, blah, blah Instant Pot” is what most of my conversations sound like. My husband loves hearing about it. Even with all the jibber jabbering that I do about the Instant Pot, there are still people in my life who don’t know what an Instant Pot is. In its basic form, an Instant Pot is a pressure cooker. Pressure cookers are magical pots that cook food in a fraction of the normal time. They also can break down tough cuts of meat that renders them tender in a matter of minutes. The Instant Pot is simply a type of pressure cooker that acts like a crockpot. As in, you can put food in, press some buttons and walk away. What used to take all day can be handled in under an hour in most cases. It’s dope like that. Ugh, no. Scratch that. That’s the last time I say dope on here or ever again. You can hold me to that.

This breakfast quinoa can be handling its business while you’re getting ready for the day. There is an optional step of toasting it if you so choose, but you’ll still get a great result if you don’t want to spend that few extra minutes. I’ll forgive you if your morning is too busy to toast it. We’re still cool.

If you want to double or triple the recipe and save for later, I’ll be cheering you on for being smart and planning ahead. When you go to reheat, add a splash of your favorite milk to mitigate the thickness from it sitting overnight.

Right now you’re probably asking yourself how Nutella Breakfast Quinoa could possibly be dairy-free. Well, friends, it is thanks to this sweet little bottle of hazelnut extract. The extract combined with rich dark cocoa powder makes for a breakfast that only tastes sinful. Your life is about to get rad.

Set the Instant Pot to saute and melt the butter (or the oil). Add the quinoa and stir to coat. Saute until the quinoa becomes toasted. This could take upwards of 10 minutes. It adds a super special flavor to the finished product. You can skip this step and the end result will still be great. Trust.

After the quinoa has toasted, keep the Instant Pot on saute. Add the other ingredients, and stir. Allow it to cook on saute for a minute or so. This will let the cocoa powder fully incorporate into the mixture.

Turn the Instant Pot to "off/keep warm", then press "manual", increase the pressure to "high" and set the timer for 2 minutes. Set the vent to "sealing".

The Instant Pot will take up to five minutes to reach pressure. Once it finishes cooking, allow it to sit for 5 minutes, and then do a quick release. Watch that vent, cause steam is hot. Newsflash.

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter (or the oil) over medium heat. Add the quinoa and stir to coat. Saute until the quinoa becomes toasted. This could take upwards of 10 minutes. It adds a super special flavor to the finished product. You can skip this step and the end result will still be great. Trust.

After the quinoa has toasted, add the other ingredients, and stir. Allow it to cook for a minute or so. This will let the cocoa powder fully incorporate into the mixture.

Turn the heat down to medium-low, and place a lid on the saucepan. Cook for 15 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and serve.

Nutrition Facts

Nutella Breakfast Quinoa in the Instant Pot

Amount Per Serving

Calories 249Calories from Fat 135

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 15g23%

Saturated Fat 12g60%

Cholesterol 1mg0%

Sodium 16mg1%

Potassium 338mg10%

Total Carbohydrates 23g8%

Dietary Fiber 2g8%

Sugars 2g

Protein 5g10%

Vitamin A0.4%

Vitamin C0.8%

Calcium4.4%

Iron19.6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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